goodbye familiarity, hello adventure

As I type, we leave familiarity behind in our rearview.   We worked our final work shifts yesterday, and less than 24 hours later, we're leaving the Outer Banks.  I am surprisingly  emotionless as we set out on our adventure.  (OK...then we missed our exit, then I had to stop blogging to help navigate).


car packed...leaving the Outer Banks.  Jed looks deceptively OK with it (he cried almost the whole ride)

(...4 days later)
We have been saying lots of "goodbyes" (to the wonderful students that I have come to know and love and learn so much from).  We've been saying "see ya in 6 months" to family and friends.  And our kitty....we'll say goodbye in the morning, and I'm really distraught about it (though he is in good hands).  We've been having lots of "last time for 6 months" moments...last walk on the beach, last time at our favorite bar with our favorite bartenders with half price beers, last time we'll wear our wedding bands, last meal at our favorite restaurant, last time driving over the big bridge, last time driving.  A couple of  real "lasts": last time unlocking the doors of Manteo High School, last time goofing off, bedazzling house arrest anklets at the Alternative School, last day of my dream job.

hike up Crabtree Falls with
some of our very favorites...
Weston, Katy, and Penny. 
We love y'all!

So here we are, 4 days later; we are nearing completion of the first leg of our travels.  We've been visiting with family and friends in Lynchburg, Virginia.  What better send-off could a guy and gal ask for?  Surrounded by our family and family-like friends, devouring mass amounts of delicious foods and tasty beverages (hey-we gotta get it while we can!).  And FINALLYYYYYY...our 12 resupply boxes are complete: overstuffed, addressed, ready to go...
SHEWWWW (that was a HUGE sigh of relief). 





Visiting Granny - an inspiration
of a lady at 90 years old!

Tomorrow, we'll begin the second leg of our trip: a 12.5 hour train ride to Boston, where we'll face some more "last time for a while" moments.  The adventure ahead remains very surreal.  Each step we take is a step in a less normal and less familiar direction.  Before we know it, we'll take a step (or 6 million) into the complete unknown.  It's not hit me yet....and it may not before it's over.  Stay tuned, folks. 

As always, thanks for reading.  Much love, and Happy Trails!